The Happy Life of Small Officials in Northern Song Dynasty

Ouyang Xiu was a bit embarrassed to speak, he was not qualified to ask other people's private affairs, especially when he asked a young woman her personal questions, he seemed so wretched and unbearable.

But if this matter is not clarified, there will be no next course of action. He neither wants to know about it, nor does he want to offend Yan Shu because of Su Jin, so he bites the bullet and wants to learn from the tongue-in-cheek woman to find out other people's secrets.

"Niece Xian, I need to confirm some of my abrupt remarks to you. If I'm rude, please don't take offense at my niece Xian." Ouyang Xiu said with difficulty.

"Uncle Shi just ask, and Biyun will answer everything."

Yan Biyun's face was calm. She had listened to all the conversations between Ouyang Xiu and Su Jin as early as behind the curtain, and she could guess in her heart what Ouyang Xiu wanted to ask.

"This... I have always expressed deep sympathy and regret for the fate of my niece Xian. I have also expressed this point to Uncle Ling Sansi. Ouyang Xiu planned to comfort him politely first.

Yan Biyun looked at Ouyang Xiu with wide eyes and said, "What is Uncle Shi referring to? Could it be that something happened to my relatives?"

Ouyang Xiu was so depressed that he wanted to die, coughed lightly and said, "I'm not talking about your relatives, but Mr. Pang's family."

Yan Biyun was surprised and said: "It turns out that you are talking about the matter of the Nu's family losing their husband before getting married, but the Nu's family is thinking about it; but there is nothing to say about this matter. Although the son of the Pang family has a marriage contract with the Nu's family, the Nu's family does not even care about him." I have never seen it before, and to my family, I have no impression of him; besides, he has passed away for several years, and my family is only sorry, how can we say mourning?"

Ouyang Xiu panicked, how could this woman say such things publicly, after all, she is your fiancée, how can you say that you are not sad at all when he dies; People who have never met have never had an impression of him in their minds, and it is indeed difficult to arouse a sense of sadness when he passed away. As Yan Biyun said, it is difficult to feel sad except for regretting his untimely death at a young age. other feelings.

"That's true. It seems that I'm over-concerned. This... How is Lord San Si? Is everyone at home okay?" Ouyang Xiu was a little incoherent.

Yan Biyun said with a smile: "Ouyang Shishu really knows how to joke. When my family heard that Shishu came to Yangzhou, I wanted to find an opportunity to meet Shishu and ask about Uncle's recent situation. Shishu asked about my family first; Shishu just came from the capital. However, the slave family has been away from Beijing for more than two months, it should be the slave family asking you."

Ouyang Xiu slapped his forehead and laughed at himself: "Look at my brain, I can't turn the corner. It's true. Before leaving Beijing, I had a small gathering with Lord Sansi. Why did I ask you?"

Laughing at himself, he was shocked again. Yan Biyun claimed to have been away from Beijing for two months, and it happened to be two months since Su Jin took over the errand. It was obvious that the two had been together;What about cheating ghosts, which company's confidante follows you and doesn't come home for two months?

"Uncle Shi, if you have something to ask, just ask directly. You are the elder, and my family is the younger generation, so there is no need to go around the circle. This way, you will be tired, and so will the slave family." Yan Biyun said calmly.

Ouyang Xiu said: "Okay, now that this is the case, I will ask my niece Xian a few questions; what is the relationship between Su Jin and you? Have you made a marriage contract?"

Yan Biyun blushed, and said softly: "Can I not answer this question?"

Ouyang Xiu's heart turned cold, this answer actually explained the problem: "It must be answered, because the matter is of great importance."

"The slave family...the slave family has no marriage contract with him at present." Yan Biyun summoned up his courage and said.

Ouyang Xiu asked skillfully: "What does it mean that there is no engagement yet? Does Lord San Si disagree?"

"That's not true." Yan Biyun shattered Ouyang Xiu's fantasy lightly: "Uncle Shi, you should know about the marriage contract between the Nu family and the Pang family. The marriage contract is not clear. How can the Nu family have a marriage contract with someone else? So we are not currently married to him." covenant."

Ouyang Xiu said solemnly: "But the Lord Sansi knows about this? What did he say?"

Yan Biyun brushed her beautiful hair, and said softly: "Master Uncle has repeatedly asked the Pang family to dissolve the engagement, but the Pang family has always refused. The slave family knows that there is nothing that Master Uncle can do. After all, the marriage contract must be terminated with the consent of the man's family."

Ouyang Xiudao: "My niece, don't blame me for speaking directly. Then you, an innocent woman, live and walk with Special Envoy Su like this. I'm afraid it's a bit inappropriate? It's not for other reasons, but this matter is publicized. Your reputation has also been damaged, haven't you thought about it?"

Yan Biyun's face was flushed with blood, he was accusing himself of being unfeminine and having sex with others, this was a tactful statement, but it was serious enough.

Yan Biyun took a few breaths, raised his head and said, "Of course what Uncle Shi said was for the good of the Yan family, but Uncle Shi may have thought too much. Although the Nu family traveled all the way with Su Jin and lived under the same roof, but The relationship between the slave family and Mr. Su is innocent; the slave family is also a well-educated person, so how could he do something shameless to corrupt the family style; and Mr. Su is not as miserable as the adults think, he... he is also A humble gentleman will never...never..."

Yan Biyun blushed again, this time not because of embarrassment, but because he suddenly remembered how many times Su Jin had stripped him off, how many times he had played with the white rabbit on his chest, and he even talked about how polite he was. Gentleman, this is really absurd; she is blushing for Su Jin.

"Oh? Special Envoy Su has such concentration." Ouyang Xiu blurted out, regretting the words as soon as he uttered them. The words were ambiguous, implying praise for Yan Biyun's beauty, and the subtext was: You are so beautiful, he can bear it ?

It's good to praise others for their beauty, but as an elder, it's not appropriate for me to say this to a younger woman. Ouyang Xiu hurriedly remedied: "What I mean is that I misunderstood you."

Yan Biyun smiled slightly and said, "There are many misunderstandings and misinterpretations in the world. The slave family and Mr. Su have a clear conscience and are not afraid of others' suspicion."

This sentence came from the bottom of my heart. Although the two are close, they have not passed the last test, so they are innocent. Although even Yan Biyun doesn't know how long his innocence can last, at least he is still perfect for now.

Ouyang Xiu pondered: "What I want to say is that even if you are polite to each other, outsiders don't think so, and you are the wife of Pang's family. It is always wrong to hang out with Su Jin like this. Leave him earlier and go back Just go home."

Yan Biyun said: "The slave family will never leave him."

Ouyang Xiu thought he heard it wrong, and asked, "What?"

Yan Biyun said: "Uncle Shi doesn't know something, do you know why Su Jin took over the grain business?"

Ouyang Xiudao: "Isn't it for the purpose of handling the emperor's mission at the request of the third division, to share the worries of the court, and at the same time to find a good future?"

Yan Biyun shook his head and said softly: "Uncle Shi, the slave family doesn't play around with you either. Su Jin's original intention of taking this job is not what you said, but for the slave family."

Ouyang Xiu said in astonishment, "For you?"

Yan Biyun walked gently to the window, stared at the bright winter sun outside the window for a while, then turned around and said quietly: "It is for the sake of my family. Su Jin and my family met in Luzhou. I fell in love with each other, but the identity of the slave family was a big mountain that hindered us from being together, so the slave family once rejected him; but things in the world are hard to predict, and the slave family fell into a serious illness after that, and almost died; my uncle invited famous doctors to help him. The servant's treatment doesn't work."

Ouyang Xiu thought, "I'm afraid this is lovesickness."

Yan Biyun continued: "The slave family is not afraid that the uncle will say that I am contemptuous, but the slave family feels that if they can't be with Mr. Su in this life, they will be born and tasteless, so the disease can't be cured for a long time because they don't know what I think in my heart; Tell my uncle about the matter between me and Mr. Su, my uncle knows that this is a heart disease, so he promised that my family will dissolve the engagement with the Pang family, and let my family be with the person I like. But the matter of breaking the engagement is not easy. "

Ouyang Xiu looked at Su Jin who was chewing bread in the far corner, saw that his cheeks were bulging, and he didn't look like he was chewing. He thought, "What's so good about this guy? He has no background, no fame. , to die or live for him, really makes people unable to figure it out."

"Later, my uncle took my slave's family to Yingtian Mansion to meet Su Jin, and made it clear that Mr. Su also had a great headache about the marriage contract. Later, when food affairs arose in various places, my uncle and Mr. Su talked about the food affairs. Mr. Su proposed There are a lot of opinions, my uncle thinks that Su Jin might be able to assist him in completing the food affairs, so he wants to recommend him, but Su Jin is not willing."

Ouyang Xiudao: "You mean that the reason why the Third Division recommends him is because he has a lot of insight into grain affairs?"

Yan Biyun said: "It's not all, maybe it's because I want to pave the way for Mr. Su for the sake of my family."

Ouyang Xiu nodded and said nothing, this sentence is the truth.

Yan Biyun continued: "Mr. Su didn't agree because he knew that the job would be difficult, because Mr. Su had food in his home in Luzhou, so he knew what the dealers were doing; he was a casual person and didn't like Trapped in a vortex, I don't have much interest in officialdom, so I declined."

Ouyang Xiu said: "Then why did you agree later?"

Yan Biyun's starry eyes were shining, and he said with a smile in his eyes: "That's for the slave family."